Presidential Shame and Grandmotherly Terror

This morning I lowered the U.S. Flag at our office to half-staff for the day; the third such lowering in three weeks. The Governor of Michigan orders all flags within the state to be flown at half-staff to honor Michigan service people who are killed on active duty and/or while in a combat zone. Many of these deaths take place in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

Last week, President Obama succumbed to public pressure and announced a speed-up of the plan to bring troops home from Afghanistan. Believe me, I very much want our troops home and out of harms way from what I believe to be an unattainable objective in Afghanistan. However, that withdrawal must be done with our military objective and the safety of our personnel at the forefront of planning. Mr Obama has chosen to ignore the advice of the military commanders right up to the Secretary of Defense, who say his plan is too much, too soon, and risks losing much of what has been accomplished so far.

As a Vietnam-era vet, I'm reminded of that war and how politics played a huge role in the actions that resulted in nearly 60,000 American deaths. Shame on you, Mr President, for using Afghanistan to garner public favor with your next election less than 18 months away. It stinks of political gain at the expense of American lives and mission failure.

Elsewhere in the War on Terror front, the TSA is now subjecting 95-year-old, leukemia-stricken, frail grandmothers to strip search. Have they lost their freaking minds? This is yet another outrage that should wake-up those responsible for TSA procedures that the agency is totally out of control. Were Mrs Weber my grandmother I imagine I'd be in jail this morning. This is utter nonsense and if allowed to continue we may as well admit it...the terrorists have won.

Give us back our freedom; I'll take my chances that a cancer-ridden 95-yr-old won't bomb or hijack the flight.

Fishing Results

This just in:  

      Photographic evidence has arrived from our planted "mole" in the northern reaches of Michigan's lower peninsula. I wondered about how successful the Father's Day fishing expedition had been; I now have proof of who knows their fishing skills.

First of all, these guys must have been telling each other jokes or something while the fish swam by...

On the other hand, this young fisherperson was hard at work going after the biggest specimen the lake had to offer, with excellent results!

Good job, Sweetheart! Nice catch!

Father's Day 2011

This past Sunday was Father's Day and it was a very good day for this dad. My youngest son—who lives about 120 miles north of me—had contacted me about meeting, so we arranged to meet for lunch halfway between his home and mine, in the town of Big Rapids, home of Ferris State University---where both of my sons attended and graduated years ago.

Sunday morning, on my drive north I was within 20 miles of Big Rapids when my cell phone rang. The call was from my oldest son who lives near Boston. I got to speak with him and my two far-away grandsons before arriving in Big Rapids. Amazing timing! Father's Day was shaping up to be a great day.

When I arrived in Big Rapids, we decided to have lunch at a local establishment where we could share a cold adult beverage or two while eating and having great conversation. We had lots to catch up on since we hadn't been together in months (shame on us!). One of our main topics was about his little ones and how they were doing. Among lots of other things, he mentioned that they had been asking to go fishing, something they all loved to do.

This morning, I found the following photo in my email Inbox. I'm still smiling since I now know they did make that little fishing trip later Sunday afternoon, and because this photo is the epitome of a Happy Father's Day.

Knowing this little guy as I do, I can tell there's
joy and anticipation written all over his face.
Perfect. 

Garden Update

Now that our colder/wetter than normal Spring is behind us, the garden is finally beginning to show signs of good growth. Last night, we had our first salad of Lollo Roso and Rocky Top lettuces along with a bit of green onion, all fresh from the garden—very good, especially when topped with croutons, Gorgonzola cheese and a few Craisins (dried cranberries), all smothered in Ranch dressing!

(I had some imported German sprouts, but decided not to use those)

This is the second year of planting only heirloom/non-GMO (genetically modified organism) varieties of veggies and something interesting has happened. I also began putting together our own compost last year, using vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and even a bit of paper here and there. Well, a couple weeks ago I noticed small cucumber plants breaking through the compost-enriched soil, followed by a few tomato plants...none of which was planted by yours truly!

It seems some of the cuke and 'mater seeds lived through the composting process to sprout another day! How cool is that?!!? I can't wait to see if they will be productive; no reason they shouldn't be.

C'mon tomatoes, get with the program! 

There's a BLT sandwich in my future and it can't arrive soon enough!

4 tomato plants, green onions, 3 sweet peppers, Rocky Top lettuce, sorrel,
carrots, claytonia and parslane coming right along.
Yes, we really enjoy fresh salads!

Those "volunteer" cukes are going to town, greenery-wise! More lettuce,
carrots, cilantro, tomatoes, sweet peppers and red onions, too.

This Lollo Roso lettuce adds terrific color to a fresh salad. 

Life = Risk

We all need a figurative kick in the seat of the pants occasionally.

Ponder this:

A tip o' the hat to Barry Ritholtz at The Big Picture.

Its Cottonwood Time!

The June weather is beautiful most of the time here in western Michigan. Unfortunately, June also brings the release of those pesky cottonwood tree seeds surrounded by a cottony substance. This, of course, lets the wind take the seeds here, there and everywhere.

I think I'll have a "talk" with God and ask why He couldn't make the seeds better, more productive, more likely to germinate and in much smaller quantity, rather than have each tree releasing millions, yes millions, of those little seed packages in the hope just a couple will result in new trees. Makes sense, don't you think?

Cottonwood seeds ready for the next breeze to give them flight. 

Money-Saving Ideas

I've been following The Survival Podcast for a couple years now to pick up information on, as he says, "how to live a better life, if times get tough...or even if they don't". About a month ago the podcaster, Jack Spirko, began a series of four episodes containing money-saving ideas submitted by members of his audience.

Some of the suggestions save a dollar here or there, but some can really add up to terrific savings for the average family. Obviously, not all are applicable to everyone, but if you take the time to listen I know you can find a few ideas to save money for you and yours.

The four podcasts can be listened to or downloaded to an MP3 player here. Each one is about an hour long. Also, check the notes below each episode which contain links to a number of the featured sites. You'll find tips on how to make your own laundry detergent, homemade dog treats, cat litter, herbal insect repellents, hundreds of uses for vinegar, how to make your own yogurt, coupon-savings sites, and much more.

Give them a listen, or at least check the show notes to see what you can do to save a buck here and there.

My Retreat

They say "A man's home is his castle". Well, that's true of course, but I consider our home My Refuge, or My Retreat—very specifically in the spring, summer and fall of each year. We live at the end of a cul-de-sac, which gives us a special advantage over living on a straight street with houses right next to ours. We have just shy of an acre lot, which gives us space for the house, a nice lawn, a garden, and a wooded space providing natural screening and privacy from all those around us.

Merriam-Webster says, in part:      Definition of RETREAT

1

a (1) : an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable

2

: a place of privacy or safety : refuge

• The President of the U.S. has Camp David
• A number of my Michigan friends enjoy Florida's warmth in the winter
• Some people have lake cottages in rural locations
• Beaches in the south of France are "it" for some

For us, our home is our special place to feel safe and enjoy the outdoors and all it has to offer. I like our neighbors, but I'm so glad I don't have to view their home, their back yard and whatever they're doing there each day. When the trees, shrubs and ground covers are fully leafed out, we see our back yard and nothing much else. Sitting on our back deck we see...

Looking north from the sliding doors leading from the dining room to our deck.

Now, moving northwest to take in the fire pit, the garden and the raspberry planter.
The garden is coming along, slowly but surely.

A bit more to the west now; are you discovering what's missing?

Now due west, still hidden in the woods.

Finally, the view to the southwest, with tree after tree after tree hiding what we don't care to see. 

Standing on our back deck, you would never know we're just 35 yards or so from our nearest neighbor. Again, not that I don't like my neighbors, but I don't have to look into their back yards, nor they into ours. Its privacy folks, right in a well-developed subdivision in a little suburban town bordering Michigan's second- or third-largest city. Nice, eh? 

Labor Should Have Its Rewards

I received the following in an email from a friend this morning. I'd seen it before and again today I thought about the important truths set forth within it. At first glance, it may seem cruel to some, but I ask you take the time to read and ponder each point. Try your best to put yourself in both the place of the giver and the receiver. Punishing success and rewarding failure is a certain road to disaster.

• You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the industrious out of it. 
• You don't multiply wealth by dividing it. 
• Government cannot give anything to anybody that it doesn't first take from somebody else. 
• Whenever somebody receives something without working for it, somebody else has to work for it without receiving. 
• The worst thing that can happen to a nation is for half of the people to get the idea they don't have to work because somebody else will work for them, and the other half to get the idea that it does no good to work because they don't get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

~ Dr. Adrian Rogers

Wikipedia says this about Dr. Rogers: This quote appears frequently on the Internet and is often attributed to Dr. Rogers with an incorrect date of 1931. In fact, the quotation is part of a longer sermon delivered by Dr. Rogers in a larger series titled God's Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom, but it also appears as a passage in Dr. Rogers' 1996 work Ten Secrets for a Successful Family which complains that our young people do not know either the importance or value of honest labor. 

Siwwy Wabbit!

So I got home last night and decided the garden could use some weeding. I changed clothes and walked out to find---much to my dismay---some rascal had been in there having lunch while I was at work!!! Where's the twelve-gauge? Hasenpfeffer anyone?

I can't swear it was a rabbit, there were no obvious breaches in the fence, no burrows that indicated some mole or other critter had popped in, but SOMETHING had been there helping themselves to peas, broccoli, Swiss chard and a bit of lettuce.Too bad I hadn't left croutons, bleu cheese and some Ranch dressing for the thief!

THE VARMINT!!!

Fortunately, the tomato plants, the pepper plants, onions (green and red), and other things were intact and growing nicely, so I suppose I should count my lucky stars. It's all part of the risks and perils of back yard gardening.

Still, sorry you siwwy wabbit...I don't care to share! Go eat a dandelion or something, eh?